Reversible strut for brake beams and method of making same



Nov. 13,1923. 11,474,165

. A. P. RISSLER ET AL REVERSIBLE STRUT FOR BRAKE BEAMS AND METHOD OFMAKING SAME Filed Nov. 7, 1921 change from one to the other, it isPatented Nov. 13, 1923.

TION OF ILLINOIS.

REVERSIBLE STRUT FOR BRAKE BEAMS AND IIIEIHOD OF MAKING SAME.

Application filed November 7, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBIN P. RISSLER and l/VALTER G. HAMILTON, citizensof the United States, residing at Chicago, Illinois, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Reversible Struts for Brake Beamsand Methods of Making Same, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming partof this application, in which Figure1 is a top plan view of our improved reversible strut for brake beams.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the same.

Figure 3 is a detail View of the bent strap from which the strut isformed.

Figure 4 is a detailed view of the bent end of the strut.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Figure 4:.

Figure 6 is a view of a modified form.

Figure 7 is a sectional view on line 77 of Figure 6.

. This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in reversiblestruts fxor brake beams and method of making the same, the object beingto produce a strut from a bent piece of bar or strap iron which asinitially formed has a loop or stirrup the spaced legs or jaw of whichis designed to receive a casting forming a seat for the tension member,substantially as shown in Hawkins Patent No. 1,387,981, dated August 16,1921, and the bent end of which may be swedged or turned down so as tobe received and secured in position in the channel shaped compressionmember, also as in- Y dicated in said Hawkins patent. The seat for thetension member maintains the strutin position for a right or left handbrake lever, and in the event that it is desired 1to on y necessarytoreverse the position of the strut, without dismantling the parts ofthe beam.

In the drawings, referring to Figure 3, we have shown a stirrup shapedblank having leg members 1 and a connecting member 2. These leg membersmay be formed with openings for the brake lever pin and other openingsat their extremities for securing Serial No. 513,430.

devices in the form of a rivet,vo-r rivets, 3 by means of which thecasting 3 constituting the seat for the tension member is secured inposition between the free ends of the ulcrum or in the jaw formed by thelegs thereof. The closed end of the stirrup shaped blank may be turneddown, as indicated in Figure 4:, so that it will fit in the channel ofthe compression member. This turning down of the end of the strutrequires no special manipulation, except the operation of the lathe, andthe circular surface of the trunnion thus produced enables the strut tobe reversed relative to the c0mpression member without affecting thefastening means between the strut and the compression member of the beamor the closed end of the strut may be swedged, as shown in Figures 6 and7, to form the trunnion by a pressure which bends the ends of the straptowards each other, as indicated at l" in Figure 7, thereby forming amore complete bearing wall.

By forming the reversible strut from a strap or bar of metal bent uponitself and shaping the end to produce a trunnion which can be receivedin the channel constituting the compression member of the beam, we leavethe end wall of the strut of substantially the same thickness as themetal forming the legs of the strut. This end wall is provided with anopening 2 for the passage of a rivet or other fastening deViCe, and asthe space between the legs of the strut continues to be substantially aswide in the trunnion as it is between the legs of the strut, it isobvious that a riveting tool can be inserted in this space in securingthe fastening rivet in position; or, an instrument can be introduced tohold the head of the bolt in place, when the nut is being appliedthereon.

What we claim is:

1. The method of forming reversible fulcrums or struts for brake beamswhich consists in doubling a strap or bar of metal upon itself, thenshaping the closed end so that it may be rotatably received in a channelcompression member, the cross-sectional area of the opening in thetrunnion so formed being substantially as large as the cross-sectionalarea of the opening or space between the legs of the strut, and spacingthe ends of the bent blank or legs of the strut by means of a memberwhich forms a seat for the tension rod of the beam.

2. A reversible strut for brake beams formed from a bent strip or barot' metal,

the bent end 01" which is shaped to form a.

' formed of a strap or bar of metal bent upon closed end of the blankitself and the ends of whose legs are spaced apart by a seat for thetension member the being shaped to form a hollow trunnion open at itsinner end, and Whose outer end wall is of substantially the samethickness as the legs of the strut.

t. A reversible strut for brake beams formed of a strip or bar of metalbent upon itself, the bent end being exterior-1y shaped to form atrunnion, designed to be seated between the flanges of the compressionmember of a brake beam andthe open ends of said bar being connected by ablock which forms a truss rod seat with stops to limit the movement anddetermine the angular position of the truss rod therein.

In testimony whereoi we hereunto our signatures this 31st day of October1921.

- ALBIN P. RISSLER.

WALTER Gr. HAMILTON.

